Lady Starfarer
by KatLady86
Summary: The final chapter!
1. Chapter 1: Arrival

Lady Starfarer  
By KatLady86  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing (though I'd like to…), but I do own this story and Minami Kamikaze Yoshiro. Don't flame me, but any other response is appreciated.  
  
  
"These are the files you requested, sir." The underling set the folders down on the desk and saluted sharply, as though oblivious to the fact that his superior's back was to him.   
"Are they the only copies left?" The question was made to seem casual, but it was undeniably rimmed with a sense of urgency.   
"Yes, sir." The junior officer cleared his throat. "Any other copies were destroyed long ago, during the last clean-out, I believe."  
"Thank you."  
"No need to thank me, sir. It's a pleasure and an honor."  
The man behind the desk made a dismissive gesture with his right hand, as though this was the sort of thing he heard all the time. "That's all I need from you, soldier. Dismissed."  
The officer saluted again and turned smartly out, shutting the door behind him. Only after he was several minutes gone did Zechs turn to the desk and pick up the folder. He opened it, leafed through it for a moment, then found what he was looking for. It was the photograph of a young girl, no more that sixteen or seventeen years old. Her hair was long and dark brown, streaked with golden blond as though she had spent much time in the sun. She was sitting on a crumbling wall by a beach. It seemed as though the photo had been attempted to be taken without her knowledge. Despite the photographer's efforts, she was staring straight into the lens. But it was her eyes that caught and held him. They were deep, haunting blue, with splotches of teal green. There was a feeling of power barely held in check lurking behind those eyes.  
"So," he whispered. "Are you really her? Are you my little Mina-chan?"  
He searched the remainder of the folder, but still kept a tight hold on the photograph. He sighed, as though unsatisfied with what else the file contained. With a touch of reluctance, he returned the photo to the folder and tucked the folder in a drawer, locking it shut. Tucking the key into his pocket, he sank wearily into his chair.   
He hadn't been there for more than a few moments when the young officer burst into the room. "Preventer Wind, sir!", he shouted, adding a sloppy salute as an afterthought. "There's an attack on the base ten miles from here! It…It looks like a Gundam, sir!"  
Zechs launched himself from the chair. "Which one?", he demanded.   
"Um…It's…It's not one we've ever seen before, sir. It's…It's a new Gundam!", the soldier stuttered.  
Zechs took a deep breath. "A new Gundam," he murmured to be sure he'd heard correctly. "Well, then. It's time to see which side of the line this one is on."  
  
Zechs had barely arrived in Tallgeese when the sixth Gundam began firing at him. "I suppose I expected as much," he muttered, and returned fire. The new Gundam was unlike any he'd seen or fought before. It was more maneuverable than the others, almost more so than his own. He leveled his beam cannon and fired, only to have the Gundam dodge smoothly out of the way.   
The battle raged on for over an hour, but the new Gundam was gradually being penned in by Tallgeese and the Leos. "Gundam Zero Six!", Zechs yelled over the main speakers. "Surrender now! Things will go much easier for you if you give up!"  
Suddenly, there was a soft chuckle and the comm-unit in Tallgeese flickered on. On the vid-screen, there was an image of a mobile suit pilot. The pilot wore a simple, battered brown flight jacket and tinted goggles over his eyes. "Come, come, Zechs. You don't really think I'm giving up, do you?"  
Zechs gaped in shock. "Who…Who the hell are you?!? This is a secure line!"  
The pilot chuckled again. "Was a secure line, Colonel. WAS. It's a pleasure to see you, sir, though I wish the circumstances were different. Forgive me, Colonel. Engage EMP."  
The Gundam raised its arm, a panel slid aside, and something resembling a satellite dish rose out of the compartment. There was a strange sound and the Gundam swung the dish in a circle, aiming it at the Leos and Tallgeese . Not sure what the dish was but not liking it either, Zechs tried to move the suit out of the way. The controls didn't respond.  
"What…What the hell have you done?!?", he demanded.  
The pilot sighed. "Sorry, Mil. Just doing my job."  
"Wha….What did you call me?", Zechs whispered.   
"Do you really have to ask? I thought you of all people would remember me." The pilot tugged the goggles off his face to reveal….a pair of haunting blue and teal eyes. She smiled. "Hi, Zechs Merquise. Or should I say, Miliardo Peacecraft. Either way…It's really nice to see you again."  
"Mi….Mina-chan?…Mina-chan….Oh my God….Mina-chan!"  
Something glittered in the girl's eyes for a moment. "Yeah, it's me. Good old Minami Yoshiro. Your Mina-chan…….I'm…I…I have to go, Mil…Good….Good-bye…" She swiped the back of her hand roughly across her eyes and cut the transmission.  
Zechs stared at the vacant vid-screen in shock. "Mina-chan….Mina-chan!!!" Static answered him.  
  
"Zechs….Come in, Zechs……Oh, God…Zechs! Answer me!!"  
Zechs jerked bolt upright and looked around frantically. His eyes came to rest on the vid-screen, where a worried Noin was staring out at him. "Wha…Noin? What's going on?"  
She gave an exasperated sigh. "Nothing…Just that all the Leos out there with you, and Tallgeese for that matter, are frozen stiff and refuse to respond to anything."  
Zechs blinked dazedly. "What do you mean 'frozen'?"  
"Exactly that. They don't move at all, not even the doors. The only things that do work on the suits are the communications system and life support. A team is on its way now to pry you out of there. After that….I think we need to talk."  
Zechs's brows furrowed. "About?"  
"….We'll talk when you get back." Noin cut the transmission.  
  
"So…What did you want to talk about?", Zechs asked, leaning with one hand on the desk.   
Noin worked at her lower lip with her teeth. "Who……Who is Mina-chan?"  
Zechs stiffened. "How do you know about her?"  
Noin took a deep breath. "When I opened the link to call you and let you know help was coming, you looked unconscious. And….and you were saying 'Mina-chan…Mina-chan' over and over. And you were crying when you said it. Now, Zechs…I know….I know I'm just….I know I probably have no right to pry into your life if you don't want me to, but I have to ask you again. Who is Mina-chan?"  
Zechs sighed. "Mina-chan was my nickname for a girl I knew when I was younger. She never knew the truth about my past. I…I was going to tell her…but she moved away. Time went by, then one day I got a call. She had seen Miliardo Peacecraft on a vid-cast and was wondering if he'd ever known a girl by the name of Minami Yoshiro. That was the first time I'd talked to her in years. After that, we sent notes once or twice, just to let the other know we were still alive. But it's been almost a year since I've seen her….until today."  
"Where was she?", Noin asked.  
"Piloting that Gundam."  
Noin gasped. "Oh my God."  
Zechs went to the drawer, unlocked it, and removed the folder. Almost cautiously, he took out the picture and handed it to Noin. "That's her. I…I suspected this might be her…and now I know. I…I want to see her again…but…I wonder….It's been a long time….I wonder if we've changed too much…"  
Noin grasped him firmly by the shoulders. "If she is as good a friend as you say….It'll all work out. Go see her."  
He looked to her a moment for reassurance, then nodded.  
  
The girl walked slowly into the restaurant, slid to the back, and took an unassuming seat at the end of the bar. She ordered a drink and idly traced patterns on the countertop until it arrived. After that, she twirled her straw casually, pausing intermittently to take a sip. It wasn't long before she noticed someone sitting beside her.   
Almost apologetically, she picked up her drink and said softly, "I'm…sorry. I didn't know anyone was sitting down here. I'll leave you alone…"  
She got ready to leave when the person asked, "What made you think I wanted to be alone?"  
She shrugged and sat back down. "I don't know. Maybe since you were sitting down here where hardly anyone is. Maybe since I don't know how you got here in the first place. I mean, I know you weren't there when I sat down but I know you didn't just walk up. That means you were sneaky. Sneaky people usually don't want any company."  
"How do you know I wasn't sneaky just so I could get down here to talk to you?"  
She snorted and twirled her straw. "Because if you wanted to talk to me, you would have done it by now."  
"What do you think I'm doing now?"  
She opened her mouth, snapped it shut, then muttered, "Being sneaky, if you want my opinion."  
The person chuckled. The girl's brain raced. *Okay. Young male, roughly my age. A little cocky…like pilot cocky…..* She cut her eyes to the left. *Brown hair…long brown hair…Eye color indeterminate, wearing sunglasses…Hm, smart move…Doesn't appear to have brought any friends with him…Wait…Who's the blonde?*  
She looked up as a young man about her age entered the restaurant and strode purposefully to the back. *Hm, spoke too soon.* "Nice meeting you," she said quickly, and headed for the front door.  
"'Scuse me," she added, brushing past the blonde. He shrugged and took the stool she'd been sitting on.  
"Who was that?", he asked.  
"Beats the hell outta me, Quatre. Beats the hell outta me."  
  
Wufei looked up slightly as the door to the dojo opened. A girl walked in, checking to the left and right as she entered. He cocked his head to one side, puzzled as to why she did so. Apparently satisfied with her quick appraisal, she strode over to the nearest punching bag and began firing high kicks at it. Unlike the other people in the dojo, with each attack, the girl said nothing. No shouts, no cries, nothing at all. Just the steady rhythm of her feet and fists striking the bag.   
Almost without his notice, a man walked up beside Wufei. "Ah," he murmured. "So she came back."  
"What do you mean?", Wufei asked.   
The man shrugged. "She's one of our regulars….or irregulars, I guess you could say. She comes in every so often; sometimes every other day, sometimes only once a month. But she always comes. Sooner or later, she always comes."  
"Does she have a name?"  
"Not that we know of," the man replied. "Some people call her 'Kami', they say you'd have to be immortal to fight like her. Others call her 'Kamikaze', they say she takes too many risks."  
"What kind of risks?", Wufei wondered.   
"Nobody knows. It's just….after you see people who take constant risks like we do….you can pick up on the signs. Especially in her eyes…and the way she fights. It's always like she's paying someone back for something. Something hurts that girl…and she keeps going back for more."   
Wufei watched her fight for a moment longer. Gradually, he realized she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. He cut his gaze away, aware that a smirk was gradually spreading across her face.  
Suddenly, Kamikaze was standing next to him. "You interested in sparring?"  
Wufei blinked in shock. "Um…I…Yes."  
Kamikaze smiled. "I hoped so." Before he knew it, Wufei was down on the ground and Kami was standing over him, grinning. "I should have told you. I move fast."  
Wufei snorted wryly and wiped a smear of red from the corner of his mouth. "Fast indeed," he muttered. Leaping to his feet, he threw a roundhouse kick at Kami's head. She smiled as she ducked and threw her shoulder to the floor, rolling out of reach. She shot her leg out, caught him around the ankles, and knocked him to the floor. With a smile of triumph, Kami scrambled to her feet and planted one foot on Wufei's chest.  
"Thank you for a nice warm up, Shenlong's boy," she said softly. "Watch your back." The corners of her mouth quirked in a slightly larger grin. With that, she turned and walked out of the dojo.  
  
Mina turned sharply right after leaving the dojo and headed for the beach. *I need to clear my head,* she thought. *I can't believe it! Three of them are here! Yes! This means everything can finally get in motion. We have a chance now. We can do this. I just need two more and this will be a very good day. *   
She walked briskly down the shoreline, letting the waves come up to the edge of her feet. Letting her eyes wander down the sand, she spotted someone sitting just off the high tide line. Squinting a little, her suspicions were confirmed. *Four down, one to go.*  
She walked casually further down the shoreline, kicking at the sand half-heartedly. Reaching the figure, she stopped, standing just behind the person's right shoulder. "Beautiful, isn't it?", she whispered.   
Without looking back at her, the person replied, "Stay away from me."  
Mina looked a little amused. "Oh, really? And why should I do that?"  
"Because I'm a dangerous man."  
Mina chuckled softly. "Dangerous man, hm? Dangerous boy, I could believe. But dangerous man…" She cocked her head to one side and studied him. "No…that's not right at all."  
He turned and looked up at her, a puzzled expression written across his face. "What do you mean by that?"  
She shook her head. "Nothing….nothing at all."  
"What's your name, anyway?", he demanded.  
She paused, biting her lower lip nervously. *Should I tell him? Oh, God…He can't use it against me…He wouldn't know how…But still…Anonymity is a nice thing to have…No! No…I have to tell him the truth…I owe him…I owe him that much.* "My name's Mina. What's yours?"  
He paused, uncertainty flaring in his eyes. *Ah,* she mused, *not surprising he doesn't trust me, either. I wonder what he'll say, though it doesn't really matter…I know without him telling me*   
"My name is Heero."  
"Got a last name?"  
"Do you?"  
Mina smiled. "I'll let you have that one."  
Suddenly, she spotted motion out of the corner of her eye. Whipping her head to the right, she saw the boy from the dojo walking purposefully up the beach. "Heero!", he called. Heero looked over at him, nodded vaguely, then resumed watching the ocean.   
Mina kept throwing nervous glances at the other boy. "Nice meeting you," she said hurriedly and sprinted down the beach, up the boardwalk, and on to the street. Heero watched her curiously as she left. Wufei walked up beside him. "That's the girl I met in the dojo," he said softly. "They called her Kamikaze."  
Heero shook his head, ignoring the random connections part of his mind tried to make. "She has a name. It's Mina. At least, that's what she told me."  
Wufei looked interested. "She talked to you? All she did for me was knock me on my ass."  
Heero smirked. "You probably earned it."  
Wufei sighed and shook his head. "Thanks a lot."  
"You're welcome."  
  
Mina skidded to a stop as she reached the street. From there, she walked slowly and casually, as to attract less attention. She headed down the street, feeling the now familiar shape of the key in her pocket. *I'll go home,* she decided. *I'll go home, rest, then I'll try and root out the last one tomorrow. After that, I'll tell them what they need to know. And then…I'll be on my way. One more mission down, and nothing more. Just another notch on the belt and another myth for the legacy of the great Kamikaze Yoshiro.*  
She let her eyes wander at the closed shops along the boardwalk and almost missed it. It was an alley, nothing unusual there. There was a group of boys standing crowded in it; again, nothing unusual. But there was something out of place. They were beating something. Mina paused, sticking her head around the corner. She could see it better now. It was rather large, whatever it….Her stomach flip-flopped as she realized it was a person. The person, she could see it was a boy now, raised his head feebly, eyes half closed. She gasped softly as those eyes pierced her. They were a soft blue-gray that held her fast. She couldn't just leave him there…She had to do something…Her mind snapped back and forth, replacing the boy before her with another she'd once known and cared about. *I…I can't let him die…because…because they will kill him. I know they will…if I don't stop them.*  
"HEY!", she barked, leaping into the alley. The boys' heads whipped around, then they began to snicker.  
"It's a girl!"  
"Whatcha gonna do, chicky? Beat us with your powderpuff?"  
"No, no! Better one! She's gonna give us make-overs until we beg for mercy!"  
She smirked. "You wish. Leave him alone or I'm gonna be forced to get out Misty."  
This only made them laugh louder. "Misty?!? What the hell's that? Your attack poodle?", one in sunglasses demanded.  
Before they realized it, she'd shot the sunglasses clean off the boy's face. "This," she said, gesturing to her gun, "is Misty; a 340 Mitsubishi special. Now, gentlemen. You all seem reasonable people of moderate intelligence. Perhaps I better get to the point and make this easier for you. Get the hell out of here before I put a bullet through your heads.."   
It took no more urging on Mina's part. The group of boys tore out of the alley without a backward glance. Mina smiled and turned back to the beaten boy. Kneeling beside him, she wrapped her arms around him and helped him sit up. "I know this is gonna sound like a stupid question," she began, "but are you okay?"  
He smiled weakly. "I'm…better, thanks."  
"Can you stand up?"  
"I…I guess….with help…"  
"No problem. My place is just up the street. We can go there and get you cleaned up."  
The boy frowned slightly. "What about a hospital?"  
She cocked head to one side. "Do you really want to go to a hospital?"  
He cut his eyes away. "No…"  
"Too much paperwork, right?", she guessed.   
He smiled. "Yeah…and too many questions."  
She nodded. "I know what you mean."  
  
******  
That's all for now. You'll have to go to part two for more. I just love suspense, don't you?  
  
See ya next time! Ja ne! ^_^ \/  
  
KatLady86 


	2. Chapter 2: Locked Doors

Lady Starfarer  
By KatLady86  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing (not that I'd mind...). All I own is Minami Kamikaze Yoshiro and this story. Don't flame me; out of marshmallows. Other comments are appreciated.  
  
Mina reached into her pocket and drew out her key. Fitting it into the locks, she undid the deadbolt and the knob lock, letting them into the apartment. "You live here?", the boy asked, looking around. The apartment was simply furnished, but not sparse. There was a couch, two armchairs, and coffee table directly in front of him. Behind that layout, there was a pair of large glass doors that led to a patio. To his right, there were two doors; one that led to a kitchen and the other that led to what seemed to be the bathroom. To his left were two doors that were shut and, as far as he could tell, locked.   
"Over here," Mina said, leading him over to the couch. "You wait here for a minute and I'll be right back."  
She returned a few minutes later with a small first aid kit. Opening it, she removed several Band-Aids, ointment, cotton balls, and a small bottle of peroxide. "Hold still. This is going to sting." She wet a cotton ball with the peroxide and began dabbing at one of the cuts on his forehead. "So…you have any idea why those assholes were so intent on knocking the shit out of you?"  
He chuckled softly. "You do come right to the point, don't you? They…it seems they remembered who…who I used to be…who my father used to be……They decided to…take out their aggressions on me, I guess. Times like these I'd rather be a loser."  
Mina cocked her head to one side. "Used to be…You said who you used to be…My guess is you've changed from who you…well…used to be. Less naïve?"  
He nodded. "Mhm."  
"More…violent?"  
"…On…occasion…"  
"More jaded?"  
"Perhaps."  
"More…secretive?"  
"Yes…Look, I can't believe I'm telling you all this! I just met you and…and…and I don't even know your name!"  
She smiled. "Is that all? Well, then, my name's Mina." She paused for a moment, then added, "Now it's my turn. I just saved you and I don't know your name, so how 'bout you return the favor and tell me what I can call you. Otherwise, I'll have to make-up a name for you…and I warn you, I come up with bizarre nicknames."  
He laughed. "Try me."  
She leaned back slightly, studying him and trying to psyche him out. *Hm…let me see…blonde…pretty gray-blue eyes…my age…Oh God…His father…used to be…Oh God…He's not…He can't be…He is! He's…the boy…the bar…the blonde…Him…What was in the file? Dammit! What was it again…Something he said…Rather be a loser…Winner!! That's it! Quatre Raberba Winner! Oh God! What…What am I gonna do?! Easy, Mina-chan…Don't panic…He doesn't know…He doesn't suspect…He can't…Hurry up, Mina-chan…He's getting suspicious…Aha! Perfect…And it'll knock his damn socks off…Mhm…for certain.*  
"I've got the perfect nickname for you," she said. "I hereby dub you, until you're willing to tell me you're real name, Sandrock Winner."  
All color drained from Quatre's face. "Wha…Um…How did you come up with a…um…nickname like that?"  
"Well….," she paused for effect, smiling inwardly as he fidgeted nervously. "You remind me of something I saw once…It came out of the desert…and it was beautiful…They called it Sandrock…" She paused and noted his hesitant swallow. "As for the Winner part…you said you'd rather be a loser, didn't you? I thought it'd be a touch ironic if you ended up being a Winner. After all, irony seems to be running rampant as of late."  
He sighed deeply, relief showing plainly in his eyes. "I suppose I can get used to that," he said, after a time. "It's not so bizarre, after all."  
She smiled. "You know…it's not really. Now…hold still. I have to finish cleaning you up."  
  
"NOOOOO!! FATHER!! NOOOO!!"  
Mina leapt from her bed with Misty in hand and raced into the living room. She did a quick visual sweep of the room, then threw her shoulder to the ground. Rolling upright, she sighted around the room again, sprang to her feet, and hurried to the couch. She sat down and wrapped her arms tightly around Quatre. "It's okay….Shhhhh, shhhhh….It's gonna be fine…Calm down…It's okay…It's okay…" She rocked gently back and forth, cradling a sobbing Quatre close to her.   
"I saw it all over again….It was awful…He died…He died and he didn't have to! He didn't have to…" His voice faded off into sobs and he clung to her shoulder.  
"Shhhhhh, shhhhhh…It's okay…Don't cry…It was just a dream…Don't cry, Quatre. It's okay…" Mina stiffened slightly, realizing her mistake.   
"Wha…What did you call me?", Quatre asked, raising his head from her shoulder.   
"I…I…"  
"I never told you my name! I never told you anything! Who the hell are you?!? Are you from OZ?! Oh God…Who the hell are you?!?" Quatre drew sharply away from her and Mina realized it was suddenly very cold in the room.  
"When I…When I told you my name was Mina, I wasn't lying. My name is Minami Yoshiro, sixteen standard years old. I was born in the Sanc Kingdom, ended up moving around a lot after it fell….." She smiled vaguely at a memory and shook her head. "…My brother was going to be a Gundam pilot…but he was killed on his last mission prior to getting his suit. After…I…I called in a few favors and made sure they gave the suit to me. I…I didn't like the idea of a stranger having something that was my brother's." She bit her lower lip and turned away.  
"What are you doing here?", Quatre asked, growing more sympathetic and mentally slapping himself for his outburst.  
She looked back at him and smiled. "I came here to give you and all the other Gundam pilots a message. I…I think I'll wait until you're all together. It's not the sort of thing you want to say more than once."  
"Oh…," Quatre murmured, wondering what sort of a message it could be.  
"Are you feeling a little better?", she asked him, interrupting his pondering. "Because if you are, I suppose we should both go back to bed."  
"Yeah…I am feeling better…Thanks." He smiled at her, then noticed something. On Mina's left arm, running from her wrist to a third of the way up her arm, was something that looked like a silver bandage. He reached over and ran his fingers up and down it, noting her wince as he did so.   
"Did someone hurt you?", he asked.  
She shook her head, smiling for an unknown reason. "No…no. Nobody hurt me. Nobody hurt me at all."  
Quatre turned his neck to get a better look at her face, blocked slightly by her bowed head. "All right. I just wanted to be sure you were okay."  
She smiled again and turned to face him. "I am okay. Really. Let's hit the sack. I'm wiped out, and I'm sure you are too. See you in the morning." She got up and walked to her bedroom; the gun in her hand contrasting sharply with the fact that she was in her pajamas. Pausing in the doorway, she turned and looked back at Quatre. "Good-night, Quatre." Her smile turned almost wistful and something on her cheeks shimmered in the moonlight streaming through the glass patio doors. "Good-night."  
She slipped back into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Even from the couch, the sound of a lock sliding into place reached Quatre's ears. *Why would she lock the door?*, he wondered. *Does she want to keep me out? Or…does she want to keep herself in?*  
It was some time before he was able to fall asleep again that night.  
  
The following morning, Quatre awoke to the smell of…chicken chow-mein? He opened his eyes slowly, rubbed the sleep from them, and sat up, struggling to remember for a moment what he was doing in this strange place. As he stretched his arms, a bruise on his left shoulder twinged and everything came rushing back. *The alley…,* he thought, gazing out the patio doors. *I…I was walking…They grabbed me…Red…It hurt…It hurt so much…The girl…Mina…They ran away…She brought me here…Later…I was dreaming…cried out……She came to me…Her? A Gundam pilot?…Something silver…her bandage…Tears…Her tears…* He put one hand to his aching head. *The others…They've gotta be going nuts…I need to contact them…Will she let me? Why not? She needs to talk to them….Or is this all just a giant trap? Oh God…..Either way, I can't do this alone. I have to contact them. But first…breakfast.*  
He swung his legs over the side of the couch and gingerly stood up. Biting his lower lip apprehensively, Quatre took several tentative steps forward. He was not more than six feet from the couch when the strain was too much and his legs gave out under him. He hit the carpet so hard, his jaws clacked together, but he did not cry out. *I can do this,* he thought. *Damn it, I can do this! Just get up…Just get up, Quatre…Just get up*  
Bracing his hands against the floor, he pushed up, got his legs beneath him, and stood. Taking a deep breath, he resumed his walk to the kitchen. The steps were slower, more measured, but ultimately more successful. Reaching the kitchen, he leaned casually against the door-frame to hide how much the small walk had cost him. "So," he asked, "what's for breakfast?"  
Mina turned to face him from her position in front of the microwave. "Reheated take-out, I'm afraid," she admitted. "I just got into town and I never had time to hit the grocery store. Hope you don't mind."  
"It sounds great to me," Quatre shrugged.  
Mina smiled. "Good. By the way, glad to see you got up." Leaving it at that, she turned back to the microwave, leaving him uncertain as to which getting up she'd meant. Which, he suspected, was exactly what she'd intended to happen.  
"Hey," he said, something catching his eye, "what's that?" He pointed to something silver hanging around Mina's neck.   
"Oh." She fingered the pendant delicately. "This. I was wondering when you'd ask."  
Quatre walked over to her, eyes glued to the necklace. It was a silver pentagram, a star within a circle, that hung on a silver chain. "Where did you get that?", he asked, turning his gaze to Mina's face, his crystalline eyes locking with her blue and teal ones.   
She smiled faintly. "My brother gave this to me…before his last mission……As soon as he came back…he was supposed to get his suit." The microwave alarm went off and she turned sharply back to it, opening the door to remove two steaming plates. "Breakfast is ready. We'd better eat before it gets cold." And she said nothing more about her brother.  
  
"You probably want to call your friends," Mina said, setting the plates in the sink.   
Quatre looked over at her. "I mean, they're probably worried about you," she continued. Looking back at him, she cocked her head to the side. "What?", she demanded. "Don't you trust me?"  
Quatre's gaze wavered. "Oh," Mina murmured. "I see. You think I'm a trap, don't you? You think…I'm just being nice…so I can get you all together…and…I can't really say you should know me better than that, because you don't know me at all. I can't blame you, I suppose. I don't think I'd trust me, either. But…awe, hell, Quatre. I know you don't believe me, but I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want any of you to get hurt. I've seen what you five have done. I respect that. I've also seen what the missions have done to you. I…I don't think anyone should have to go through that. Forgive my hypocrisy, because…I was sent here to give you the background on a possible mission. I'm not going to give any details until all of you are together because it's going to be a group decision. Take it or leave it. No one is going to force you. They just thought…that you five should have first crack at it. If you want it, that is. Now, I hope you understand…why I need you all together."  
Quatre bit his lip until it seemed it would bleed. After some time, he asked, "Where's the phone?"  
Mina smiled. "Come with me." Quatre followed her to the far wall, as if to her bedroom, then she turned into the second room and he trailed obediently behind. He gasped softly as his eyes took in the room. There were canvases everywhere, stacked on the floor, leaning against the wall in long rows, and a few seated on easels. There were sheets of paper drifting across the floor, each one covered with sketches. One brushed against his foot and he picked it up. Studying the sketches, he found them to be of a young boy, eyes closed as if asleep. It took him another moment to realize something else about the sketches.  
"This…This is me," he whispered. He turned to Mina. "When did you do this?"  
She smiled. "This morning. Before you got up. I hope you don't mind."  
"No…" He looked back at the piece of paper in his hand. "I…don't mind at all…It's beautiful…"  
Mina blushed faintly. "Thank you…Those are just preliminary sketches. I'm…I'm looking forward to maybe…doing a painting."  
"Of me?" Quatre looked shocked.  
Mina blushed again. "If you don't mind…I'm always looking for new subjects…and I think you'd be perfect."  
"I'd be honored," Quatre said and meant it.  
Mina smiled and studied him in the half-light from the windows for a moment more, then moved over to a small table in the corner. On it was a small video phone, which she turned on. The screen glowed brightly and she pulled out a small chair for him to sit down. "Just dial the number," she said. "I'm gonna to do a little straightening up in here. I never had a chance to clean up before I left last time." She began picking up sketch sheets and forming more organized piles.   
*Last time…,* Quatre wondered. *She's been here before, then…When? And, more importantly……why?*  
Shaking his head, he dialed a number and waited for an answer. There came none. Frowning, he dialed another number. As it rang, he muttered, "That's odd…Heero's always home…And…what? No Duo either…This is getting weird. All right, Wufei, then…What's going on?!?" He leapt up, knocking the chair over. "Three of them gone!!", he shouted. "Where the hell are they?!? Oh God…what if something happened to them?!? Oh God…"  
Mina looked up at him, set down her armful of sketches, and placed both hands on his shoulders. "Calm down, Quatre," she murmured. "That's three, right? Well…isn't there one more? What if they're all at his house? Don't panic until you've got good reason to."  
Quatre bit his lower lip, thinking. *Why wouldn't they all be at Trowa's?*, he wondered. *They…they might have thought I was there…and gone to find me…and then stayed…in case I showed up…It does make sense…Okay…Trowa, then.* He drew a deep breath and dialed a fourth number.   
To his relief, the screen flared brightly, then calmed down into the image of a familiar face. He blinked back light spots and heard a voice calling to him. "Quatre? Quatre, is that you?! Quatre?!?"  
The blonde boy couldn't help but laugh. "I'm here, Trowa. I'm here."  
"Where's here?", Trowa demanded, worry lines faint at the corners of his eyes. "We've been going nuts trying to figure out where the hell you are! And…hey, who's the girl?"  
Quatre turned around slightly and saw Mina standing not to far behind him, just in visual range of the phone. She smiled. "Don't mind me. Forgive me if I'm eavesdropping."  
Before anyone could say anything more, there was shouting in the background on Trowa's end and three blurs came racing over.   
"Is that him?"  
"He finally called?"  
"Is he okay?"  
Trowa frowned and rolled his eyes at the barrage of questions. Quatre laughed and Mina smiled, impressed he was taking it as well as he was.   
"Hey!!", one of the blurs shouted. After a moment, it slowed down and came into focus. "I know that girl! She's the one I met in the bar the other day!"  
*Which one is he?*, Mina wondered. *Um…priest collar…long brown hair…Duo! That's it! Duo Maxwell.*  
"I know her, too!", another of the boys on the other end exclaimed. "That's Kamikaze, from the dojo!"  
*Ah, the black-haired one,* she mused. *Wufei Chang.*  
"You're both wrong. Her name is Mina."  
She almost laughed. *Of course, Heero. You would be so blunt.*  
Quatre sighed. "You're all right, as far as I know. Anyway, she came here to give us a message. It's about a mission."  
Everyone on Trowa's end froze. "A mission," Trowa said, very softly. "Okay, then…I guess we need to get in touch. Where are you?"  
"Um…" Quatre turned around and looked pleadingly at Mina. "Can you give them directions? I…I've really got no idea how to get them here."  
She smiled. "No problem." She slipped over next to Quatre. "Okay, here's what you have to do…"  
  
******  
So, Mina's got her little secrets....We'll find out more about those later...  
Until next time,  
Ja ne! ^_^ \/  
~KatLady86~  
  



	3. Chapter 3: To Battle We Go

Lady Starfarer  
By KatLady86  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing (not that I'd mind...). All I own is Minami Kamikaze Yoshiro and this story. Don't flame me; out of marshmallows. Other comments are appreciated.  
  
It wasn't too much longer when the doorbell rang. Mina opened the door and let in the four young men. She smiled. "This way." And she led them over to the couch and chairs. Seeing the group, Quatre leapt up from his seat on the couch.   
"Guys!", he shouted and grinned widely. "It's great to see you!"  
"Great to see you, too," Trowa smiled, then paused. "Quatre…what happened to you?"  
"Oh…" Quatre reached an unsure hand up to his face and fingered a bandage on his cheek. "I…got roughed up…and Mina found me…She…made them stop…and…she brought me here…cleaned me up…Then I called you…and the rest you know."  
Trowa studied him for a moment longer, then sat down on the couch. Duo took the last space on the couch and Wufei took an armchair. Mina offered the remaining chair to Heero, but he shook his head. "I'd rather stand," he said, so Mina shrugged and sat down.   
"Okay," she began, "you all know I'm here with a mission. I'll tell you up-front that you don't have to take it. I was instructed to offer it to you, and if the answer is not unanimous, then nobody takes it."  
"So it's all or nothing," Heero mused. "Who instructed you?"  
Mina looked up at him. "I can't tell you that. If I did…then I'd have to kill you."  
Heero looked back down at here, unreadable thoughts flashing through his mind. "Okay, then," he said after a time. "Continue."  
"Anyway, this is, as Heero said, all or nothing. The mission is this. A few of the more dangerous remnants of OZ, the Mariemaia Army and others are pulling back together and forming a new organization. From what we can gather, they are calling themselves 'the Kuro Senshi'. Also…we have reports that they have some very advanced mobile suit technology. These suits, if built, will be incredibly fast with huge weapons capabilities. We think…we don't know, but we think…that these suits will eventually be developed into mobile dolls with a special program implanted in them. This program allows them to distinguish a manned suit from an unmanned one…and all manned suits are automatically registered as targets. We need a team to go in, destroy the mobile suit lab and as much of the base as possible with minimal damage to our side."  
Duo looked over at Mina. "So…what if these Kuro Senshi people all ready have manned suits out in a battle…and they send out these dolls?"   
Mina closed her eyes. "A manned suit is a manned suit." She hesitated. "These things are being designed for absolute annihilation, not to pick and choose. If a suit is manned, it is a target…and these things aren't the type to let a target get away."  
Duo sighed. "I was afraid that was what you were going to say. So…what's the verdict?"  
All the pilots looked at each other, Mina also observing them in turn. When her eyes reached Heero, she saw the hand that had been on his hip was now behind his back and dangerous messages flashed encrypted in his gaze. She understood. Before anyone noticed, Mina was standing with her gun drawn, cocked, and aimed between Heero's eyes. The other pilots froze.  
"Mina!", Quatre hissed. "What do you think you're doing?"  
Mina ignored him. "Heero, would you be so kind as to turn over the little present you have waiting for me behind your back?", she asked politely. Heero scowled, but obliged. He pulled the gun from his back pocked and handed it to Mina.   
"Thank you," she said. "Now, why did you feel you needed to bring this?"  
Heero was silent for a moment, then spoke. "I didn't like the feel of it. I thought this was a trap…and so far you haven't convinced me of otherwise."  
"True," she mused. "Very, very true. I'm not so sure I would have trusted me, either. But I am telling the truth, whether you believe me or not."  
"Do you have any proof of what you claim?", Wufei demanded, eyeing Mina skeptically.   
"Um…what exactly does she claim, anyway?", Duo asked. "I mean…I get that you guys don't really trust her, but what don't you trust? That there's some organization called the Kuro Senshi? That they've got killer mobile suit technology? That she's on our side? Or is it all of it you're not buying? I'd really like an answer."  
Heero spoke first. "I'm not sure I believe any of it."  
Mina's mouth quirked at the corners. "So, Heero. What kind of proof do you want? Proof that I have a Gundam? That I'm the one who disabled the Tallgeese? That I…that I have felt more pain in 60 seconds than you have in your whole life?" She whispered the last sentence, almost as though she wanted no one to hear, afraid of their pity. "What do you want from me, Heero Yuy? What do you want from me?"  
"You…disabled Tallgeese?", he asked softly.   
Mina's smile turned wider. "So you heard? I was hoping that word had gotten around." Suddenly, her smile vanished and her lips became impassive again. "But you never answered me, Heero. What do you want from me?"  
He shook his head. "I don't know, Mina. I really don't know."  
Unexpectedly, she lowered her gun. "I think I have something that may convince you. Don't move." She dashed into her bedroom, then returned with something in her left hand. Carefully, she pressed the mystery object into Heero's palm and closed his fingers around it.   
"Do you remember these?", she asked him.  
He opened his hand and gasped softly. "The last time I saw these…I had left them…You're…"  
"Yes, Heero. I am. I thought they'd help you remember." The others were left to wonder about their conversation.  
"What do you have in your hand, Heero?", Quatre asked.  
Heero wrapped the chain around his fingers and let the dogtags slip from his grasp. They dangled in the air and swung slowly back and forth. "Just an old good luck charm, that's all." He slipped the chain over his head and ran his fingers over the tags. "Can I keep them?"  
"Sure," Mina smiled. "They are yours, after all. Does that convince you?"  
He almost smiled. "I suppose it does, Mina. So…what are we going to do? Do we take this mission? Or do we leave it for somebody else? Duo?"  
"Take it. Trowa?"  
"Take it. Quatre?"  
"I don't really like the idea of having to fight again, but…I say we take it. Wufei?"  
"We're the only ones who can really deal with this. Take it. Heero?"  
"What do you think I'm going to say? We take it."  
Mina nodded. "Then it's settled. I'll get the files." She headed for the bedroom.   
The pilots looked shocked. "You have files?!?", Duo shouted over his shoulder to her.  
A few moments later, she strode out of the bedroom with an armful of manila folders. She set the stack down on the coffee table and stepped back. "This is all we've got on the Kuro Senshi, their base, and their mobile suit technology. I'd advise you to look over it."  
Heero reached forward, opened one, and removed a map. He pushed aside the files and spread it out on the other half of the coffee table. "Okay, so this is the base." He studied it for a few minutes. "I don't think this will be a problem for the five of us."  
"Six," Mina corrected. "I'm going with you. And if I can convince a friend of mine, it'll be seven."  
"Seven…Who's this friend of yours?", Heero asked.   
"I'll tell you if he says yes," Mina replied. She took a battered flight jacket and a duffel bag from the closet and headed to the door. "I'll be back in a little while. Meantime, you guys have some reading to do."  
  
Zechs stood in the hanger, staring up at the frozen Tallgeese III. *How the hell did she do this?*, he wondered. *Tallgeese doesn't move at all…and none of the techs can figure out how to undo it. I wish I at least knew where she is right now.*  
"Excuse me, Colonel?", a young female tech asked. "I'm here to work on the Tallgeese ."  
Zechs sighed. "You're welcome to try, but no one can fix it. I'm afraid there's only one person who can."  
"And it would be too convenient if she happened to be here, wouldn't it?", the tech commented, looking sideways at Zechs.  
He looked over at her, more carefully now. She carried something slightly akin to a small silver briefcase. The jumpsuit she wore was the standard issue for a mobile suit tech. Her hair was long and pulled neatly back at the nape of her neck. It was dark brown with the faint tendrils of lighter blond stripes drifting out from under her cap. She smiled and cut her eyes over at him; her blue and teal colored eyes. "So, Mil," she whispered. "Is there any place we can go that's a little more private?"  
He nodded quickly, took her by the arm, and led her into a small, little used conference room just off to the side in the hanger. He had barely shut and locked the door when Mina flung her cap to the floor and launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck.  
"It's great to see you, too," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly.  
She pried her head from his chest and looked up at him, eyes shining. "I missed you," she whispered. "I missed you a lot."  
He ruffled her hair with one hand and wiped something from her cheek with the other. "God, but you've grown. You've probably got boys camping out on your doorstep."  
Mina laughed. "Speak for yourself. You probably have to beat back girls with a stick."  
"Mina…" Zechs looked sheepish and blushed slightly.  
Mina grinned wickedly, noting the blush. Zechs stepped in to change the subject. "So," he asked, "why did you attack our base?"  
It was Mina's turn to blush. "Well…some wires got crossed…information wasn't entirely accurate…I got to see you, didn't I?"  
Zechs shook his head and laughed. "You sure have a funny way of trying to keep in touch. Now, are you going to fix Tallgeese or what?"  
Mina pretended to look outraged. "So, just fix your suit and get out, hm? I don't think so. As a matter of fact…I've got a bit of a proposition for you."  
Zechs turned serious. "If you expect me to drag the Preventers into this…"  
Mina held up her hands. "No! No, I don't. This is just…a favor I came to ask you. We could use another suit and…well…" She explained the situation with the Kuro Senshi.   
Zechs frowned. "Maybe I should drag the Preventers into this…" Mina shook her head frantically. "This is serious stuff, Mina-chan," he continued. "This concerns more than just you and the Gundam pilots. If these Kuro Senshi are as powerful as you say…But I won't tell anyone else. Not yet. I'll help you, Mina-chan. But after this…if Kuro Senshi reports find their way to my desk…all bets are off. I'll have to do something about it. You know that."  
Mina nodded. "Okay, then. I couldn't ask for more. By the way…I…I have to ask…Is…is he really dead?"  
"Who?", Zechs asked.  
"You know who," Mina whispered. "Treize. Is it true that he's dead?"  
Zechs closed his eyes. "It's true, Mina-chan. I…I'd been wondering if you'd heard."  
Mina wiped something from her eye. "Oh…I heard, all right. I guess…I just had to be sure. I…I think I'd better get started on Tallgeese ."  
  
Mina fastened the silver box to her belt and began searching for handholds. She found two, gripped tightly, and in no time she had scrambled halfway up the side of Tallgeese . Zechs stared open-mouthed as she climbed the rest of the way up to the suit's shoulder. Sitting down, she opened a panel on the side of its neck. She took several cables from her pocket and hooked them from the silver box to corresponding ports inside the suit's neck. She opened the box, and it became obvious that it was a small laptop computer. She typed for a few moments, frowned, and typed again. She smiled as the lights in Tallgeese's eyes flared brightly and the suit came to life. Grinning, she undid the cables and closed the panel, clipping the box back to her belt. Without a second thought, she jumped off Tallgeese 's shoulder.   
Zechs gasped in shock, too stunned to scream. Mina spread her arms out wide to slow her fall. Abruptly, she snapped her knees to her chest, turned several mid-air somersaults, and flipped out into a perfect three-point landing. Mina strode calmly over to Zechs and patted his cheek gently. "Don't worry about me, Mil," she smiled. "I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself. See you tomorrow night at midnight sharp. Outside Hanger 5. Be there and bring your toy with you." She jerked her head in the direction of Tallgeese . "I'll be waiting." She walked out of the hanger.  
  
"Your friend is WHO?!", Heero demanded.   
"Zechs Merquise, Miliardo Peacecraft, whatever you want to call him." Mina shrugged. "Don't see why his name matters. He's one hell of a pilot and we need all the help we can get."  
"He agreed to help us?", Duo asked.   
Mina nodded. "I went and asked him myself. Where do you think I was, anyway?"  
Duo mouth quirked slightly. "You've gotta point."  
"So," Mina asked, heading into the kitchen, "you guys finish reading all that material yet? Or do I need to make some coffee for an all-niter?"  
Quatre shook his head. "We've got it all taken care of. So, it looks like we can be fully ready in about three days and -"  
"No!", Mina shouted. "No, you guys don't get this! It has to be tomorrow night!" She stormed out of the kitchen. "I've had this planned down to the last detail and it will never be more perfect than then! Half, no, almost two-thirds of their forces have been transferred to another set of bases, due to a threat of attack on them. This threat is really just something I concocted and made sure it was believable enough for them. Three days from now, they will have started to figure out there's nothing there and will start bringing forces back here! If you guys can't do it tomorrow night, then you can't do it at all!"  
The pilots sat in stunned silence. After some time, Heero spoke. "Well," he said impassively, "if it has to be tomorrow night, then it'll be tomorrow night. Now…one question."  
Mina cocked her head to the side. "I'm all ears."  
"I want to know about this suit of yours," Heero said.  
Mina grinned. "You'll know about it. You get to see it tomorrow night. Until then, I'm saying nothing. So, who wants coffee?"  
  
"Could you please explain to me why we're outside the Preventer base?", Duo asked, as the pilots and Mina approached the south fence of the compound.  
"We've got to pick up something," Mina said, pausing at a small gate in the fence. "Not to mention the seventh member of our little group." She pulled a small packet from her pocket and flipped it open. Removing a lock pick, she inserted it into the keyhole of a small box on the fence. The small door swung open to reveal a keypad. Mina typed four keys, a green light blinked three times, and the gate swung open easily when she pushed on it.  
"Follow me," she whispered. Carefully, they slid through the maze of warehouses and hangers until they reached Hanger 5. She entered a five-digit code on a keypad by a side door and slid inside, beckoning the others in.   
"What? Am I not invited, too?", a sultry, all-too-familiar voice asked from the shadows.  
Mina smiled in the half-light. "Of course you are. The question is, are you coming or not?"  
Zechs smiled back. "Of course I am." He surveyed the Gundam pilots. "No surprise to see you all here." They studied him for a moment, then nodded indifferently.   
"I know this is gonna be hard for you, but let's stop the chatter and head inside," Mina sighed, after a few moments more. The others followed her obediently into the hanger.  
"Wow," Quatre whispered as they stared upward at the mobile suit that drew all their focus.   
It was an immense weapon, unmistakably a Gundam. It's lines were sleeker than the original Gundams, however, giving the impression of great speed. The chestplate was deep teal, with blue stripes along the suit's shoulder boards. Mina walked up to it, pride and deep familiarity written across her face.   
"This is her," she said softly, running her fingers across the Gundam's leg. "Starfarer."  
Heero walked over to her. "This is the little thing you were working on?"  
Mina turned to him and nodded. "Yeah…She doesn't seem so little now, does she?"  
He shook his head. "No…not at all…I've heard the reports about you and her…Quite impressive…only I've heard there's a price, that no one can seem to find out much about."  
Mina hesitated, biting her lower lip uncertainly.   
"Is it like the Zero system?", Heero asked.  
"In a way," Mina murmured, running her fingers across the silver armlet. Suddenly, she stretched her left arm out as far as it would go and blurted, "This…this…this thing binds me to her! I can control almost all of her functions by pure thought! Only…only when she gets hurt, I feel it……and trust me, the feeling of getting your arm blown off is not something you want to go through more than once."  
Heero took several startled steps backwards, and the others stood in stunned silence. After what seemed like eternity, one of them spoke.  
"How many times have you gone through it?", Trowa whispered.  
"Three," Mina responded quietly. "But it was my decision! My choice! I accepted it and…and I don't…I don't…"  
"You can't say you don't regret it," Trowa said, careful to keep his voice gentle. "I know I would, if I was you. You just take things as they come and move on. Sometimes it seems like our choices are made for us."  
Mina nodded, sniffling slightly. "I know what you mean." She swiped a hand violently across her eyes and looked at the other Gundam pilots. "It…it looks like the only problem will be trying to get her out of here without setting off all the alarms."  
"No problem," Zechs replied. "I told everyone I'd be doing a small training exercise. They won't be surprised if I take out a suit or two."  
Mina smiled. "You're a lifesaver. Now, think you boys can get out of here and to your Gundams by yourselves?"  
Wufei nodded. "I think we can handle it."  
"Okay, then," Mina replied. "Three klicks further south of the fence we came in, there's a huge field. Zechs and I will meet you there as soon as we can."  
  
"Do you believe her?"  
Trowa looked up at the comm screen. It was Quatre. "Believe what?"  
"That stuff she said. About Starfarer. And that armlet and everything. Do you believe it? You think that's really what it's for?"  
Trowa shrugged. "I…I guess I do. Did you see her, Quatre? Did you? You…you can't fake pain like that. Trust me. That was real. She's real. Why? You don't believe her?"  
Quatre shook his head. "No! I believe her. I…I know what you're saying. You should have seen her when she talked about her brother…it was like part of her died. I've never seen anybody look like that. That Starfarer sounds like something very hard to handle. This may sound…I don't know…unsympathetic…but I'm glad it's not me, Trowa. I'm really glad it's not me."  
"I hear you, Quatre," Trowa whispered back. "I hear you."  
  
The seven mobile suits stood ready in the field. Mina opened a link to all six of the other suits. "Okay, you guys. Listen up. We're gonna head out to the base shortly. Once we get there, we'll have to fight our way to where we need to get: right outside the lab. As soon as that happens, I do what I have to do, then three of you go in on foot while the others cover you. The three on foot get in to the main part of the mobile suit lab, and you have to destroy everything. If it looks even remotely related to mobile suits, dolls, or seek and destroy programs, I want it gone. As soon as you're done, get out and back in your suits. From there, we beat a speedy getaway. Understood?"  
The other pilots nodded. "Okay, then. Let's do this."  
She broke the comm link, leaving six minds wondering what it was she had to do.  
  
"Heero."  
The boy looked up and found Trowa staring out of the comm screen. "Yeah?"  
"What do you think? That she has to do, I mean."  
"Do you really want to know."  
There was a moment's pause. "Yes."  
"I think…that Kamikaze Yoshiro is going to live up to her name."  
"You don't mean…self-detonate?"  
"That's exactly what I mean. You saw those blueprints. The lab is easily the most fortified building on the base. It would take a sizable explosion to put a hole in it. I don't even think all the firepower in all our Gundams could do it. It would take a huge blast, like the kind that follows a self-detonation."  
"You're telling me that a self-detonation has more force than seven Gundams?"  
"Starfarer's might. That thing is deadly technology. I bet it's rigged to blow so there's not a part left bigger than my finger. After all, would you want that stuff in enemy hands?"  
"No…but why didn't she tell us what she's going to do?"  
"Would you tell anybody?"  
"…I see your point…but still…"  
"Minami is a soldier, first and foremost. After that, she starts thinking about other things. Like life. Her training program was similar to mine. I know how she thinks. Her brother was one of the best reconnaissance agents there was. After his death, everything she was went into piloting Starfarer. It was supposed to be his, her brother's. She wouldn't let anyone else touch it….because it was his…It became almost sacred to her…Other than that necklace…it's all she has of him. She's accepted her mission, Trowa. She won't hesitate to complete it."  
  
******  
Dun, dun DUN!! Cue the dramatic music!! BWAHAHA!! I love cliffhangers! Anyway, you'll just have to keep reading to see how it turns out.  
Until next time,  
Ja ne! ^_^\/  
~KatLady86~ 


	4. Chapter 4: Dreamscape

Lady Starfarer  
By KatLady86  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing (not that I'd mind...). All I own is Minami Kamikaze Yoshiro and this story. Don't flame me; out of marshmallows. Other comments are appreciated.  
  
"General, we…we're picking up seven inbound mobile suits! They look like Gundams!"  
"Hm…with two-thirds of our forces away, it's like they planned this…No matter…send out all available mobile suits. I want a warm welcome for our seven guests."  
"Yes, General Tajari!"  
  
"Heads up, everybody! First wave of mobile suits incoming!", Mina screamed over the comm. Starfarer landed just on the other side of the fence and removed a beam cannon from her back. It powered up rapidly and she swung it in an arc that took out a large portion of the Kuro Senshi forces. Soon, the other Gundams were beside her and they fought their way to the lab. Several times, Starfarer was struck by incredible waves of enemy fire, as though they knew what it did to the pilot inside. More than once, the others heard the faint sound of whimpering over the comm.  
After a time, Starfarer returned the beam cannon to her back and drew a beam sword. However, sometimes the blue beam would go slack, to be used as a whip. Then, it would solidify into a blade again for use in tighter combat. Starfarer spun rapidly with the sword-whip in hand, slicing a neat path in the enemy lines straight to the lab.  
As the Gundams regrouped in front of the lab, their comms flickered on. "All right, here's how I want it," Mina ordered. "I stand closest to the building. In a half circle in front of me, I want Trowa, Quatre, and Zechs. In another half-circle in front of them, I want Heero, Duo, and Wufei. You three closest to the front have to provide cover for the rest of us. The three closest to me, when I give the signal, you guys head into the lab and destroy everything that even looks like it has to do with mobile suits. Understood? Okay, then. Get ready."  
Everyone moved their suits into position; two minds thinking some suspicions were about to come true.   
"No, I need you further out than that…," Mina corrected. "There! That's it; don't move an inch unless it's out. I need a lot of room back here. I know this is a lot of area to cover, but you have to make sure no enemy suits get in here. Think you can handle it?"  
"We can handle it fine," Heero said. "You just do what you have to do and let's get the hell out of here."  
Mina nodded. "Okay, you guys…Stand back." Biting her lower lip until it bled, Mina flipped the cover back on the self-detonation switch and pushed the button. Warning sirens began to blare in the cockpit and the door opened to the battle outside the safety of Starfarer. Taking a last look around, she leapt from the entry platform. Falling through the air, she spread her arms wide to slow her fall. Mina had executed three mid-air somersaults and two back handsprings on the ground before Starfarer exploded.   
The shock wave pushed forward, rocking the Gundams to their cores. Minami tumbled along the ground like a dead leaf in an autumn wind; an ever-moving blur of arms and legs, with smears of red marring the symmetry.  
The explosions continued, tearing through the fortified exterior of the lab building. The Gundams trembled with their force, but, despite scorching and minor damage, they remained intact. Minami, now no longer being tossed along the ground, lay still, oblivious to the screams across the comms. Vaguely, though, she thought of how they must be yelling at her. *Don't you know?*, she thought. *I don't have a comm anymore, you guys. I can't hear you…but I wish I could….Will I die, I wonder?*  
Her eyes were vacant and still; she was only remotely aware of the damp places all over her body where, she assumed, she was bleeding from. The waves of pain from Starfarer's death washed over her like breaking waves. She was only just able to breathe between one wave and the next. Her tears, however, never came. *You have to take it and live with it,* she reminded herself. *Regrets are normal, but they don't change a damn thing. Keep strong, Mina-chan…for Daisuke…for dear, dear brother…*  
Far away, like a dream, she could hear voices screaming her name. There was the distant pounding of feet and three drawn faces looked down at her.  
"Mina-chan…" Zechs's voice was unusually tight. *Has he been crying?*, Minami wondered. "Mina-chan, stay with me…Don't you dare give up on me, Mina-chan. I just found you and I'll be damned if I'm going to lose you."  
Minami reached to her throat, despite Mil's protests for her to lie still. "Here," she whispered, holding out her necklace. "Trowa…take this…"  
He shook his head frantically. "But…that's yours…your brother…"  
"I know…but you take it now…Don't worry…I'll get it back…but…You need it now…Take it…It'll be like…I'm with you…Go…Finish the mission…Give those bastards hell…ya hear me?"  
Trowa nodded shakily and took the necklace, slipping it over his head. "You…you promise you'll take it back, right? I don't want to…have to give it to…a…a…"  
Minami smiled, winced, but the smile surfaced again. "Don't worry, Trowa. I promise to live long enough to take it back. Now go…all three of you…you have to go…If you don't…then this was all a waste…"  
"I understand," Quatre said, swiping a hand roughly across his eyes. "Come…come on, Trowa…We…we have a job to do…"  
Trowa nodded, then ran over to Heavyarms. Opening a panel in its leg, he removed three large rifles. Tossing one to Quatre, he slung one on his shoulder and offered the last to Zechs. He accepted it, but didn't turn from Mina. Trowa waited half a minute longer, counting the seconds in his head. After that, he shrugged and he and Quatre ran into the wreckage of the lab.  
Minami turned stern. "Mil…go with them…That's…that's an order…you hear?" She coughed and red flecked her lips.   
Zechs shook his head. "No way, Mina-chan. You need help…I have to stay with you…"  
She shook her head as much as the throbbing in it would allow. "You have to go with them…I planned this…remember?…It'll take three people…to get rid…of all the stuff in there…You gotta go…or it's still a waste…Just…put me somewhere safe…for a little while…"   
Zechs nodded. Scooping her up, he carried her over to Tallgeese and helped her on to the lift cable. It rose steadily, carrying her to the cockpit. Carefully, Minami crawled into the seat and lay there, panting softly. The door closed, sealing her inside the mobile suit. Satisfied, Zechs removed the safety on the rifle and charged after the Gundam pilots.  
Inside Tallgeese , Minami slumped sideways as she drifted into unconsciousness. Eyes fluttering closed, she began to dream…  
  
It was bright light all around her…White…everything was white…She sat up and found herself on a cloud, softer than anything she'd ever felt. Looking down, she saw she wore a white toga-esque top, and a white skirt that came to just below her knees. With a peek over her shoulder, she realized she had angel's wings coming out of her shoulder blades; their tops coming just higher than her shoulders. Minami stood on shaking legs and spread her wings. Their span was her height and easily more. With a small cry, she jumped from the edge of the cloud. Flapping hard, she flew, dipping above and below the clouds with ease. Flying high above the clouds, she saw huge cities with millions of people living in them. Off in the distance, Minami could see great war machines that hadn't been used in centuries, judging by the level of their decay. Everything was peaceful, but Mina couldn't help becoming restless. Tired of the unchanging cloud-scape, she spilled the air from her wings and dove.  
The land far below the clouds was in stark contrast to the world above. Everything seemed to be permeated by a blood red glow, giving the place a demonic atmosphere. Battle upon battle upon battle raged on the combat-scarred ground. Mobile suits more advanced than anything Mina had seen fought alongside cannons centuries old. Commanders screamed orders through radios and troops charged blindly forward, war cries on their tongues. Trying to get a better look, Minami flew lower, then noticed something with a start. The further down she flew, the more white feathers fell from her wings. Afraid of falling, she flew higher, hoping to reach the clouds before the feathers were gone completely. Looking over her shoulder, Mina saw that as she flew higher, more feathers began to grow magically back in. The refuge of the clouds seemed so close now…but she knew she wouldn't be content with the peace there. With a powerful flap, she plunged downward, leaving white feathers in her wake like a blizzard.  
Minami plummeted to the battlefield below, skimming the surface of a thousand individual battles. All of a sudden, something possessed her to look back at her wings. Instead of the pure white angel wings, they were now black and leathery, like a dragon's or demon's. Also, her clothes had changed from the white toga-style outfit to a black tank-top and black pants. Raising her head, she could see a red glow at the horizon, and faintly heard familiar voices calling her name. Certain that was where she had to be, Minami flapped harder and flew towards the glow.  
Upon reaching it, she could just make out five figures standing on the ground below. Spilling the air from her wings again, she landed in front of them. It was, as she had suspected, the five Gundam pilots. Their wings, however, were different from hers. Their left wings were the same black demon style, but their right were the white angel wings. She stood before them, head up and shoulders back, refusing to cower. Their eyes filled with pity for her, a creature of war. Slowly, hesitantly, Quatre plucked a white feather from his right wing. He reached out and offered it to her. Smiling, she accepted it and laid it on her own right wing. To her amazement, its tip burrowed into the black webbing and suddenly a whole patch of the wing was covered in white feathers. Following Quatre's lead, the other pilots offered one of their own feathers. After the last feather had taken root, her entire right wing was an angel's wing again. The Gundam pilots smiled; she was one of them.  
"Where will we go?", Minami asked. "We don't belong up there or down here. Is there no place for us…?"  
Simultaneously, all the pilots turned and pointed upward, with Trowa's whispered cry of, "There" hanging in the soft breeze. Raising her head, Mina could see a great hole in the clouds, a patch of nothing but inky blackness and stars…billions upon billions of glittering stars.   
"Yes," Mina whispered back. "There."  
With huge bursts of flapping, the six took off, flying for their gap in the clouds. However, some other force was conspiring against them. The higher they flew, the darker and more threatening the clouds became. Suddenly, lightning bolts shot forward, targeting the small group. They managed to avoid them for a time, but they were losing strength and couldn't last forever. Despite brave efforts, one by one, the pilots were struck and fell to the ground far below; their wings now too far gone to serve any purpose. Wufei…Duo…Heero…Quatre…Trowa…all fell, reaching up to Mina and screaming her name, begging her to save them. She, however, continued to fly higher, attempting to block out the desperate cries. *It's not that I don't want to save them,* she thought, *it's that I can't. If I try to lift them up, they'll drag me down and I wont' be able to maneuver…and then I'll get struck, too…and it'll all be for nothing…Forgive me…Forgive me, my friends, forgive me…I pray that I may someday atone for letting you die…* And Minami flew on, her tears streaming behind her like a comet's tail.  
The lightning was getting closer now…once so close, she felt it singe her wing-tip. Frantically, she tried to dodge…but to no avail. Inevitably, she was struck and plummeted to the ground, screaming for help that was not there. Her wings were of no use; the left had a rip along almost it's entire width, the right was hopelessly broken. As she fell, Minami could hear faint voices, whispering all around her.  
"It's true, Mina-chan…I'd been wondering if you'd heard…"  
"I don't know, Mina…I really don't know."  
"Who the hell are you…Oh God! Who the hell are you!?!"  
"Stay away from me…"  
"What made you think I wanted to be alone?"  
"Wha…What did you call me?"  
"Hey! How's my Lady Starfarer? You doing okay?"  
"No…Stop," she murmured, but the memory continued.  
"Now…I gotta go away for a little while…but I'll be back soon, I promise."  
"And then do you get your Gundam?", a young voice asked, one she knew all too well.  
"Yup, and then I get my Gundam. Now…until I get back…I got ya something to remember me by…Take it, Mina-chan…Wear it…It'll be like I'm there with you…See? A star for my Lady Starfarer…"  
"It's so pretty…Thank you, Daisuke!"  
"No need to thank me, Mina-chan. What are big brothers for? See you soon!" And then he walked away, singing that song…that he always sang…used to sing… "Starfarer Lady, oh Starfarer fair; with the stars in your eyes and sunspots in your hair. Lady, don't leave me, for I've grown to love you but can't put to words what I feel…"  
"No, Daisuke…," she whispered. "No…come back…you won't see me soon…Oh, God! Daisuke! Amaterasu-sama, save him! Don't let him die! Don't let him die!"  
As the hard earth rose up to meet her with all its stones, her cheeks were wet with tears and she continued to beg, "Don't let him die!"  
  
****  
Aha! My evil dreamscape flashbacks! You'll see that I like doing these in Gundam stories...By the way, how is Mina doing? You'll just have to wait and see!  
Until next time,  
Ja ne! ^_^ \/  
~KatLady86~  



	5. Chapter 5: Departure

Lady Starfarer  
By KatLady86  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing (not that I'd mind...). All I own is Minami Kamikaze Yoshiro and this story. Don't flame me; out of marshmallows. Other comments are appreciated.  
  
Mina sat bolt upright, gasping for air. She looked around frantically, desperate to know where she was. At that moment, all her wounds twinged and she fell back onto the bed; her whole body throbbing in pain. After a few minutes, she sat up again, slower this time. It was a hospital room, that was plain enough. White sheets, white hospital gown, white curtains, white ceiling, white floor…it was almost enough to drive Mina insane. She squinted against the glare of light on all the snow-colored surfaces. After her eyes adjusted, she spotted a vase of a dozen red roses on the bed-side table. Reaching as far as her injuries would permit, she just managed to grasp the tiny card that accompanied the flowers.   
Flipping it open, she read: "My Dearest Mina-chan, That was very stupid of you back there. You could have gotten yourself killed! What were you thinking?! I'm so proud of you…You know that, don't you? Keep safe and well until the idiot doctors will allow me in to see you. It seems you could be God himself and these fools wouldn't let you in to see a patient 'until they're absolutely, one hundred percent stable'. I keep telling them you're the most stable person I know, but they won't listen. (Stop laughing, it's the truth and you know it.)"   
Mina paused for a moment to smother her giggles, then continued to read the note. "Anyway, my dear, dear friend, I will be in to see you as soon as possible. As always, yours with love and friendship,  
Zechs"  
She smiled, read the card twice over, then folded it neatly and put it back with the flowers. Leaning back, she wondered where everyone was, what they were doing. Were they thinking of her? Perhaps…a comforting thought. She closed her eyes, then jerked sharply as she realized line after line of code was scrolling before her eyes. "But…," she whispered, voice shaky, "I only see that…with Starfarer…and she's…But what if…" Gritting her teeth, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and moved a step at a time to the window. Looking out, she could just see mobile suit Hanger 5 over the tops of the trees. "They're rebuilding her…," she murmured. "I don't know how they're doing it, but they're rebuilding her! Oh God…she's still alive…"  
She sighed contentedly and shoved the window up to let in some fresh air. The soft breeze lifted her hair gently up and tossed it about briefly. For a reason she couldn't name, she grinned then laughed, shaking her head so her hair swirled around.   
"Hello, Mina," came a soft voice from the doorway.   
She froze and spun around, wincing. "Mil? That you?"  
He nodded. "Mhm. The doctors finally let me in to see you."  
"Is this the hospital on the base?"  
"Yes. It was the closest one we could find."  
"We? Have the others been to see me?"  
"Yes…although they didn't stay long…but I'm sure you understand that…"  
Mina's mouth quirked at the corners. "Of course…you don't stay where they can find you…I'd imagine the Kuro Senshi are not very happy right now."  
Zechs shook his head. "You have no idea. It seems their leader, a General Tajari, has been sending me nasty-grams for several days now, demanding to know if the Preventers or myself had anything to do with the attack on the base. As of now…I've not replied to any of said messages."  
Mina grinned wider. "Wonder why not. You do realize you're making a serious enemy, here."  
Zechs shrugged. "If not now, then later. I see no point in prolonging the inevitable. Would you…like me to invite them in?"  
Mina stood up straighter. "You mean…they're here? All of them? Right now?"  
Zechs nodded. "Yes…I wanted to be sure…that you were ready…They said you were stable…but…I didn't want…"  
Mina smiled compassionately. "I understand. I really want to see them…but first I have to ask you something. How are you rebuilding Starfarer?"  
Zechs looked startled, then calmed down. "I…I thought you might know somehow. We…you see…I had them hack your computer…the little silver one?"  
Mina frowned and glared at him, then her face brightened. "You don't know what any of it means, do you?"  
He shook his head. "I have no idea. None of the techs can figure it out, either. They know what wire goes where, but they don't know what it does. But then…you knew we couldn't understand it…What does it mean, Mina-chan?"  
She smiled, a soft secret smile. "I don't think I'm going to tell you , Mil. I'm the only person alive who can read that code. It's better that way. What people don't know, they can't be forced to tell. When Starfarer dies and I die, her secret dies with me. She's deadly technology, Zechs. She shouldn't have been made in the first place."  
"But she has!", Zechs protested.   
"Yes…she has…but that doesn't mean she shouldn't have…and now I live with it…by being sure there is never another Starfarer again. She is the first…and the last…and the only…Lady Starfarer."  
Zechs stood there for a moment, absorbing all that his friend had said. "If that is what you want, Mina-chan, then that is what you shall have. I won't stop you. Do you…should I send them in now?"  
"Yes, Mil. I want to see them again. Please…let them in."  
He nodded and slipped out of the room. Several moments later, there was the sound of loud voices out in the hall. Feet pounded on the linoleum and five people tried to fit through a door made for one all at the same time. Mina laughed and went over to the bed, sitting down and toying with one of the roses in the vase. She didn't want any of them to know how much the short walk to the window and back had pained her.  
"So…how are you doing?", Quatre asked, having managed to slip through the pack in the door frame. He sat down on the bed beside her and smiled, then frowned and brushed a bandage on her cheek with his fingertips. "That's strange…the last time it was me wearing the bandages…Somehow…it doesn't look very good on either of us…Sad, neh?"  
"Yeah…" Mina whispered. "Sad…"  
"Like I was saying…how are you?", he repeated. "I'm sure that sounds pretty stupid…"   
"I'm…better…thank you…" Then they both laughed, recalling how similar this was to their first meeting. By this time, the others had forced through and were in the room.   
"I fail to see what's so funny about this," Heero said in his usual monotone.   
"Lighten up, Yuy," Minami said and threw a small paper cup at him. It bounced neatly off his forehead, and Duo snickered. "Anybody know how long I've been here?"  
The pilots looked at each other a moment before Wufei answered, "A week." Mina sat back, stunned. In response to some of the glares, he replied, "What? Yoshiro is a smart girl; she would have gotten it out of someone sooner or later. There is no point in hiding things from her. If we didn't tell her now, she'd kill us when she discovered we'd withheld it from her. I don't think any wish to face the wrath of Minami Kamikaze Yoshiro; who if I remember correctly, has one of the highest kill counts in all of the colonies. Anybody want to keep secrets from her now?"  
Trowa smirked. "You always did know just what to say to make us feel better. Any other prophecies of doom for us?"  
Wufei paused. "No, not right now. I'll let you know if I come up with any later, though."  
Trowa sighed, irritated, while the other pilots laughed. Mina shook her head. "You guys are hopeless. Guess that's why I like you." She thought a moment about her dream, where the six of them had journeyed to a place where they alone could live…only to be denied their happiness. But…that was a dream. They didn't need to know.  
  
Later that week, the boys arrived with several surprises for her. Quatre, with the aid of Duo's lock-picking skills, got her sketch and painting materials from her apartment and brought them to the hospital. "You said you wanted to do a painting," he reminded her. "I figured there's no time like the present." She thanked him profusely, having to pause several times to brush something from her eyes.  
The painting didn't take much time at all, as Mina's brush flew across the canvas with remarkably accurate speed. After a few hours, Quatre's face stared smiling out from picture, blue eyes seeming to glitter. Just as Mina was putting on the finishing touches, Trowa wandered in and stared, mesmerized, at the portrait. "That's…that's beautiful," he whispered. "It looks…just like him…That's…amazing…"  
Quatre looked up at him from his chair by the window. "I take it you like it, Trowa," he smiled.  
"Do you want it?", Minami asked.   
Trowa blinked, startled. "What…did you say?"  
"Do you want it? I mean…I've got the sketches…and there's too many paintings in my apartment anyway…and if it really means that much to you…I'd be proud to let you have it."  
"You…you mean that?"  
"Of course. I've never been more serious."  
"I…I…Thank you."  
Mina smiled as she handed him the canvas. "Be careful. It's still a little wet."  
Trowa nodded, transfixed by what he held. Quatre laughed and got up from his chair to stand beside him. "Trowa…you're staring…"  
The other young man stiffened and blushed deeply, while his companion chuckled. "Guess you're sort of an art lover now, hm?" Trowa blushed again.  
  
The second surprise was when, unbeknownst to each other, Quatre and Trowa both planned to play their instruments for Mina. When they discovered the other there with his case and a shocked expression, they did the first thing they thought of; they made it a duet.   
Minami sat spellbound as the sound of the flute and violin filled the room, drifting down the hall to entice the nurses from their station. The notes were pure and wonderful, intertwining with each other to create a song that spoke volumes. Mina closed her eyes and let the story pass before them; a story of peace, war, sin, and redemption. Along with the story, she could see the lines of Starfarer's code, and read what she saw. As the song faded into mere echoes of its former self, Mina opened her eyes and came to a decision. It was time.  
  
The next day, Trowa returned to the hospital, to thank Mina privately for letting him have the painting of Quatre. Upon entering the room, he looked around and found her missing. The hospital gown was folded neatly on the bed and a breeze drifted slowly through the open window. Hurrying back out into the hall, he asked the nurses if the female patient in that room had been released. Their answer was no.   
While they ran down the corridors trying to find her, Trowa returned to the room, looking over it more carefully. On the floor, there fluttered a small scrap of paper. He picked it up; sketches of himself on one side, and a brief note on the other. He read it over twice, then walked to the window. Leaning forward, Trowa stuck his head out, letting the gentle wind wash over him. Suddenly, he realized something. The necklace, Minami's silver pentagram which had hung around his neck since she gave it to him, was gone. At that moment, her heard the roar of engines and looked out to Hanger 5, where a mobile suit that could only be Starfarer was taking off. It was then that Trowa did something strange. He laughed.   
  
****  
That's end of this one, but keep your eyes peeled...I'll get the sequel up ASAP.  
Till then, you'll just have to cross your fingers and pray.   
Until then,  
Ja ne! ^_^ \/  
~KatLady86~  



End file.
